By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – Amid trade wars and the Coronavirus pandemic, 2020 provided a challenging year for farmers; however, there were some bright spots.

One of those bright spots includes government payments to farmers that surged to record numbers under the Trump administration.

Speaking with WJBC’s Marc Strauss, Rodney Weinzierl, Executive Director of the Illinois Corn Growers Association, said a prominent bright spot was the new United States, Canada, and Mexico trade deal.

“I cannot understate the importance that Mexico is to U.S agriculture as an importer of corn, soybeans, pork, beef, a whole host of products that really Mexico by far is our biggest market for corn and corn products. Canada is a big importer and customer of corn, ethanol, distiller dried grains, and solubles. That passage of that agreement and creating kind of certainty with our two big trading partners was really important for the next decade and probably the next generations of farmers, especially around corn, beans, and livestock.”

Weinzierl said another stride for farmers in the past year was waterway improvements on various rivers throughout the state.

“We’re really focused on upgrading our waterway system here in the upper Midwest, both on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Great strides were made this year with major rehab being done throughout the Illinois river and again opening the river on time in time for harvest.”

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].